It’s no secret that plantar fasciitis can disrupt your life with persistent heel pain. Activity modification, stretching, and orthotics can do wonders, but even then recovery can take six months or more.
At Manhattan Podiatry Associates, our team offers radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) to help speed up your recovery and reduce discomfort.
ESWT is a non-invasive treatment that uses sound waves to stimulate healing in your inflamed plantar fascia tissue, and it’s available in our Midtown and Downtown Manhattan, New York City, locations.
Here are five ways ESWT supports your plantar fasciitis recovery, courtesy of our expert team.
Good circulation is part of an optimal healing environment. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to the injured area. In this case, that’s your plantar fascia.
EWST helps you heal because it improves your circulation. The sound waves from ESWT trigger your body’s natural healing processes, increasing blood flow and promoting tissue regeneration in your plantar fascia.
The suffix -itis means pertaining to or characterized by inflammation. So, in this case, plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of your plantar fascia.
And what better way to heal plantar fasciitis than to combat that inflammation directly? ESWT decreases the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are small cells that help control other cells — cells that affect your immune system and inflammatory responses.
So, by decreasing inflammatory cytokines, ESWT helps reduce inflammation.
When the plantar fascia is repeatedly stressed — from overuse or the pressure of anatomical issues like flat feet — it can stretch and tear. Your body's healing response is to create scar tissue to cover the tears.
Unfortunately, scar tissue isn’t as flexible as your normal fascia, so the buildup of scar tissue can make matters even worse.
ESWT helps break down this tissue. This helps restore flexibility in your feet and reduce chronic pain — a double win!
Unlike temporary pain relief methods that just mask your pain symptoms, ESWT addresses the root cause of plantar fasciitis and helps your body heal naturally. About 90% of people treated with ESWT experience success with just three treatments. For those struggling to take those first few steps in the morning, this can be a beacon of hope.
While surgery isn’t typically the first line of defense against plantar fasciitis, it’s nice to know treatment like ESWT can help you postpone — or entirely avoid — surgery.
Even better, EWST doesn’t bring the downtime and risks of surgery. EWST is non-invasive, requires no stitches or incisions, and leads to quick, long-lasting results.
During your session, your provider uses a handheld device to deliver radial pressure waves to your plantar fascia. You may feel a pulsing or tapping sensation, but the treatment is generally well-tolerated without the need for anesthesia.
Each session lasts anywhere from 15-30 minutes, and you don’t have to worry about downtime afterward. You can return to your routine immediately, although you should avoid strenuous activities that could add more strain to your plantar fascia. Gradually adding activity back into your routine can help you avoid plantar fasciitis.
Our team determines how many sessions you need, and over the course of that treatment, you’ll notice that radial ESWT promotes increased blood flow, reduces inflammation, and supports the repair of your soft tissues.
The best part? ESWT fits seamlessly into plantar fasciitis treatment. Your comprehensive treatment plan may include activity modifications, wearing orthotics, and daily stretches.
If plantar fasciitis is making each step you take unbearable, don’t wait for your symptoms to get even worse. Give us a shout! Call the location of your choice or click here to schedule an appointment with our team today.
